Tractor



W. VAN INMAN.

Y TRACTOR. APPLICATION FILED MN. 17, I920- Patented Nov. 16,1920.

M M u m 4 SHEETSSHEET lfill 172mg,

W. VAN INMAN.

TRACTOR. APPLICATION FtLED JAN. 17. 192M Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W. VAN INMAN.

- TRACTOR. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. I920. Patented NOV. 16, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

31 noewtw Fifi [72012052, qWi wwoo UNITED STATES WALTER. VAN IN AN, or BIDGLEY, TENNESSEE;

macros.

' Specification of Letters Patentf Patented N 16, 1920,

Application filed January 17, @1920 serial No. 351,993.

0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER VAN INMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at itidgley, in thecounty'of 'Lake' and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Tractor, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this invention is a tractor, adapted peculiarly but not exclusively to be'used in the forest, for handling timber.

One object of the invention isto provide a novel form of vehicle propulsion.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby a winding drum may be operated, at the will of an operator.

A further object of the invention isto improve the construction of the traction Wheel. 1

Another object of the invention is to improve the means whereby the traction wheel is lubricated. V

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhanceithe utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

- With the above and otherobjects'in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination, and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, withinthe scope of what is claimed, changesin the precise embodiment "of. the invention the spirit of the invention.

1 shown 'can'be made without departing from l In the accompany ng draw1ngs: Y

. -Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with-the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan; Fig. 3.,is a cross section onthe line 33 of Fig.2; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmental front elevation disclosing a portionof one ofthe parts of the frame of the truck; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a section taken approximately on the line 77 of' Fig. 1; and Fig. 8-.is a section taken through one of the rear traction wheels.

'Thedevice forming thelsub'ject' matter of'this application comprises a truck including aframe 1 embodyingside bars 2 connected by. cross ,pieces 3, 4 and 5. The side bars 2 of-the frame l-may be connected by a rear brace .6 andby a front brace 7. The cross pieces' 3, 4 and 5 are adaptedto [Each groundwh 36 having a run support a deck (not: shown), but since the V deck may beconstructed as desired, and in view of, the fact that to showthe deck would merely obscure certain important features offithe' tractor, the deck has been omitted. Aplatform 8 is carried by the forward p0r-, tionsof the side bars 2and supports a seat 9, In advance of the seat 9, the side. bars 2 converge,*as indicated at 10, andsupport an engine 11. Front Wheels 12 are movably' mounted? on the forward axle of the vehicle, in accordance withthe well known automobile construction, and are provided with grooves 14-. which adapt these wheels to traverse a track. Each wheel 12 is provided, upon each side of its groove 14, with I relativelybroad treads 15 which adapt the frontwheels to. traverse relatively soft soil, without sinking thereinto. The front'wheels l2gmayrsoe controlledby a steering mechanism 16 of any desired sort, terminating .in a wheel 17 located in accessiblerelation to the operators seat 9'.

i The frame 1 comprises longitudinal beams 18 located between'thefside bars 2, the beams 18 supporting a differential casing .19, the differential comprising'shafts 20. Axlally alined shafts 21am journaled for rotation on the frame 1 and are located to the-rear of the. differential gmechan ism- 1920. The

inneriends of the shafts '21 are adapted to connected by 'aclutchf22 controlled by a. lever 23 fulcrumed at 2 1 on theframework of. the vehicle, the leverbeing operatedfin its" turn, by a bell crank lever 25, fulcrumed on the frame work of the vehicle;v and under the control of a forwardlyv extended rod 26, pivoted to av pedal 27 mounted on the platform 8 in front ofv the seat, 9. The alined shafts 21 are supplied with. sprocket wheels 28co6perating withsprocket chains 29 engaged with sprocket wheels .30 on the differential shafts 20.; Sprocket wheels w 31 .are loosezon theshafts 21 and are connected by sprocket chainsff32 with sprocket, wheels 33 forming parts of rear ground wheels 34 journaled on an axle 35 carried. by the rear portion of the frame 1. I e1 34 includes a side wall 37 the side wall having an inwardly extended bearing 38-located within the rim 37. Bushings 39 are mountedon the axle 35 and cooperate with the bearing 38 to form a rotatable mountingfor the wheel 3 f. "The bushings 39 define also, with in the bearing 38, an oil chamber 40, access which opens through the bearing 38 and is mounted therein, the other endoif the pipe 41 being mounted in the side Wall 36.;and:

opening therethrough. The outer end of the .pipe 41 maybe closed by a screw or other closure 42. It will be obvious that oil may be introduced into the chamber 40 through the pipe 41, the bushings or bear-' ings39 being lubricated so ily on the axle 35. The reargrojund wheels 34are' provided with peripheral grooves 43, adapting these as to rotate readwheels to traverse a rail road, The rim 37 of eachwhel 34Vis suppliedwith zig-zag ribs 44 and alternating transverse ribs 45,

"the ribs 45 being disposed opposite to the apices of the z'ig-zag ribs 44. All of the ribs '44 and 4,5are interrupted 'by the groove 43. The wlneel 43 embodies an end plate 46 held by securinge'lements 47 to the edge of the and to one end of the bearing 38. A gasket 48 is interposed between the end plate 46 and the end of the bearing 38,1110 the end that the oil in the oil chamber 40 'ay -:not leak: away. The end plate 46 is wheel 50 and at this point it maybe noted that the side wall 36 of the wheel 34 ispro- 'vided with a "hub 51whereon .thej sprocket 'whee1'33is mounted, S roc'ket'chains 52 i connect the sprocketwhee s -50with sprocket 'wheels 53 loose'on the shaft 21.

7 An auxiliary shafts-4 is disposed transvers 'ely of the truck frame and is journaled thereon, in advance of the s'hafts'21. The auxiliary shaft '54 carries a sprocket wheel 55jcoa cting with a sprocket chain 56 engaged around a sprocket wheel 57 loose on theshaft 21, each ofthe shafts 21"being connectedfin this manner, with theaux'iliary shaft 54; The auxiliary shaft '54 is providedwith 'a pin'ion '58 meshing'into a gear wheel??? mounted on a winding shaft 60 OurnaIe'd in bearings 61 on the longitudinal V beamslis of the truck'frame. A 'drum62 .is

shownin ig. 4 of the'drawings,

- ends ofl1nks67 are pivoted to'thejlower loose on the winding shaft but is adapted to be connected therewith by fclutches 63 operated by levers 64 fulcrumed at 65, inter:

mediate their ends, on I a bracket 66 connectmg the longitudinal beams '18as clearly The outer ends'of the levers'64,' theinner ends of the links being pivoted to aforwardly extended rod 68 pivoted to the lower endof' a pedal 69' fulcrumed on vthe platform' and located in accessible'relation to the seat 9, A spring 70. cooperates'with "the pedal 69 to maintain the clutches 63 normally out of engagement withthe drum62. I j V r f j'Guides were mounted on theifront side of thecrosspiece 4, and'infth'ese guides,

' actuatingbarsj 1 are mounted for right line reciprocation; The bars 71Fare provided provided with a hub 49 carrying a sprocket with forwardly extended depending arms 73. The arms '78 of ,on eof the bars 71 carry clutches 74 and 76, whereas the arms of the lother bar carry clutches 75 and 77, the

clutches 74- and 75 being keyed to one of the shafts 21, to slide therealong and to ro tate therewith, the clutches "Z6 and 71' hearing- 'asimilai-"relation with respect to the and accessible from the drivers seat 9.

A flexible element 82 is Wound about the udrum"62 and isextended'forwardly around anidler 83 mounted "to rotate and to slide on a shaft '84.] The shaftj84, as clearly shown, in Figs. 5 and '6 is supported by brackets 8 5 'm ou'nted on'the forward side of the cross 'iece'3, the cross piece3 'being provided wit an'opemn'g 86 wherein the Hex ible 'element82 operates when the idler '83 moves longitudinally of the'sha'ft 84. The

brackets are provided with a guide rod 87 extended across the opening 86 and serving to hold the-flexible element 82 engaged with 'the'idlerrs'b An'a uxi liary frame is mounted on the mainframe oftlie'tru'clc'the auxiliary frame including upwardly converging legs 88, connected at their upper ends with a lon- ,qitufdinaltrack;preferablyin the form ofan I-beam 89suppli ed in itsupper'edge with seats 90. A shaft92 connects the forward legs 88 near to their upperends, and'on this shaft, an idlerftll is journa'led for rotation.

ice

The flexible element 82 extended up- 1 'wardly 'fromfthe idlerf83 and is trained V rearwardly across the idler '9ll A rider 93 is mounted 'to reciprocate on' the I-beam or 7 track "89 :and is provided with side seats 95.

died on the traclrdt); the armsfoi' the latch coiiperating with'the seatsf99 of the track 89 and with the seats '95 otf'therider'93. Ch

vioiisly, tl'irough the instrumentality of the latch 94;; the rider '93 may be held in adjusted positions longitudinally o1" thetracl;

189. Theda tch 94maybe supplied in iis latch may be manipulated conveniently," i;

of the' rideri d to swing transversely of the track 89,fthe hanger carrying a sheave98 aboutwhichthe flexible elementtSZ is trained and extendedjdownwardly. The lower free end of the flexible element is'prov ded-wlth a hook ears with 'a grapple or graboi any desired sort. V V .T he structure jhereinbefore"described comprises a. vehicle; propulsion, anda fholsting mechanismylmount'ed oni'a vehicle, means beng provided whereby, lat the'wlll of an opemtor, tiiepropeuin means and the hoisting mechanism may be coupled one at a time, with an engine. The operation of the vehicle propelling means will be first set forth.

The pedal 27 and the rod 26 together with the bell crank lever 25 and the lever 23, co1tstitute a'means whereby the clutch 22 may be made to couple the shafts 21 togethe'r so that the wheels 34 may be driven simultaneously: rissuming, then, that the wheels 34 are to be driven together, rotation is imparted to the shaft 80 through the instrumentality of the hand wheel 81. The pinion 7 9, coiiperating with the racks 78,moves 1 the bars 71 outwardly in opposite direc tions. The clutch 74 and the clutch 7 6, it is to be recalled, are operated by one bar 71, whereas the clutch 75 and the clutch 77 are operated by the other bar 71. When the bars 71 are moved outwardly in opposite directions, the clutches 74 and 77 couple the sprocket wheels 31 to the respective shafts 21. The clutches 75 and 7 6 couple the sprocket wheels 53 to the respective shafts 21. The clutches 75 and 7 6 arenot engaged with the sprocket wheels 57, when the parts are arranged as above described, and therefore, the winding shaft 60 of the hoisting mechanism is not actuated. This statement will be understood better after the operation of the hoisting mechanism has been traced out. When the parts of the vehicle propelling means have been coupled up as above ex-. plained, then there is established a driving train comprising the engine 11, the differential shafts 20, the sprocket wheels 30, the sprocket chains 29, the sprocket wheels 28, the shafts 21, the sprocket wheels 31, the sprocket chains 32, the sprocket wheels 33, and the wheels 34. Similarly, the wheels 34 are driven from the shafts 21 by the sprocket wheel 53, the sprocket chains 52 and the sprocket wheels 50. It is to be observed that a double drive for each of the wheels 34 is provided, each wheel being driven by a force applied toits outer side and to its" inner side, as well. Should it be desired to impart a drive to one of the wheels 34, to the exclusion of the other wheel 34, then the clutch 22 may be manipulated to disconnect the shafts 21, it being obvious that the driving effort will be transmitted to one of the wheels 34 alone. This operation will be useful under many circumstances, for instance, when one of the wheels 34 has firm hold in the ground, and the other wheel is spinning in the mud.

When the hoisting mechanism is to be broughtinto operation, the hand wheel81 is used to rotate the shaft 80, the pinion 7 9 coiiperating with the racks 7 8 to move the bars 71 inwardly. Then, the clutches 7 5 and '76 connect the sprocket wheels 57 to the shafts 21. Without tracing through, again, the operation of the propelling means, it

sprocket wheels 57, the sprocket chains 56,

the sprocket wheels 55, the auxiliary shaft 54, the pinions 58, the gear wheels 59 and the windin shaft 60. J i

The peda 69'may be actuated by the operator, the rod 68, the links 67 and the levers 64 operating the clutches 63, so that the clutches 63 couple the drum 62 to the shaft 60. When the drum 62 is connected with the shaft 60 to rotate therewith, the flexible element 82 is wound upon the drum, and moves over the idlers 83 and 91, and over the sheave 98. As the flexible element 82 accumulates on the drum 62, the idler 83 slides longitudinally of the shaft 84, the guide rod 87 serving to keep the flexible element 82 engaged with the idler 83all of which will be understood clearly when Fig. 5 of the drawings isnoted.

The latch 94 may be lifted out of the seats 95 in the rider 93 and out of the seats 90 on the track 89. Then the rider 93 may be shifted longitudinally of the track 89 so that the free end of the flexible element 82 may be located as occasion may demand.

The construction of the device is such that it will travel readily along a pole road or track, where such a track exits, and when the track ceases, the device may be operated along soft ground in the forest or in swamps, the foregoing advantages arislng out of the fact that the wheels 12 are grooved as shown at 14 and out of the fact that the wheels 34 are grooved as shown at 43, both the front and rear wheels having relatively broad treads, which enable the wheels to operate in a satisfactory way upon relatively soft soil. The specific arrangement of the ribs or traction cleats 44 and 45 gives the rear wheels 34 a strong hold on the ground.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a hoisting mechanism, a frame; a first shaft on the frame; means for driving the first shaft; an auxiliary shaft on the frame; a winding shaft on the frame; means for operatively connecting the winding shaft with the auxiliary shaft; a drum loose on the winding shaft; a. clutch connecting the drum with the winding shaft; an operative connection. between the first shaft and the auxiliary shaft, and including a member rotatable on the first shaft; a

i-sf

shaft; a bar slidable on the frame and pro-V vided with a rack, thebar being connected with the last specified-clutch; and a. shaft under thecontrol of an operator and journaled on the frame, the last specified shaft being provided with a pinion meshing into the-rack- V 2. A hoisting device including 'a main frame; an auxiliary Vframe mountedon the main frameand including anelevated track in the formof an I-beam; a rider adjustable along the lower flange of the I-bearn, the rider and the upper flange of the I-beam being provided with cooperating side seats;

a: latch engaging the side seats? of the rider and of the beam to hold the rider in adjiusted positions on the beam; a winding durm mounted on the main frameymeans carried by the main frame for, operating 20 the; drum; and a flexibleelement connected with the drum and engaged: slidably with the rider.

Intestimony, that I claim. theforegoing as, my own, I have hereto aflixed my: signa- 25 ture in the; presence of two witnesses. I WALTER VAN INMAN. Witnesses: V V

.E. SMITH, T N. FEATHERSTON. 

